This invention relates to the integration of data communications and telephony. More specifically, the invention relates to associating data addresses with telephone numbers.
Today many people have access to both voice communications and to data communications. Voice communications is still typically over the PSTN, including both the wireline and cellular or other mobile variants. We use the model we have for over a hundred years. We dial a telephone number and initiate a voice conference. Therefore essentially all voice communications fits into the PSTN paradigm.
The types of data communications are more varied. People have one or more e-mail addresses, one or more IP addresses which could be dynamic and changing and have multiple applications to receive data communications. These include e-mail, various xe2x80x9cscreen popsxe2x80x9d of still images and streaming media.
Recipients with specialized hardware and software can receive integrated voice and data communications, for example with video conferencing. The sender cannot send voice and data together without having intimate knowledge of the data characteristics of the recipient.
The following paragraphs discuss voice and data delivery mechanisms. In these, the voice and data either share physical infrastructure with no logical connection, or they are tightly connected, placing a strict dependence for compatible protocol and hardware and software from sender to receiver.
Voice and Data Delivery
Digital subscriber lines are in widespread use for the delivery of both data and voice. The two common variants of digital subscriber lines are ADSL (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line) and HDSL (High-speed Digital Subscriber Line), generically called xDSL. As the names imply, they exist only between the central office and the subscriber""s location. The technology is designed to provide a substantial amount of data transmission (up to several megabits per second) on ordinary copper distribution cables without disturbing the analog voice circuit for which the distribution was originally designed and installed. ADSL provides a greater data download (central office to subscriber) bit rate than upload (subscriber to central office) bit rate, for example, 2 megabits download, 384 kilobits upload. HDSL provides a full duplex facility for customers who need high upload as well as download bit rates. In both cases the technology provides a data path that is logically separate from the voice path. The data cannot be directed to specific addresses based on numbers dialed over the voice circuit, nor can the voice be delivered based on any data transaction which occurs over the digital circuit. The technology is basically a splitting circuit at each end of a copper path that allows both analog voice and digital data (processed by modems) to share the facility. The degree of isolation is indicated by the fact that if the splitting equipment loses power, the voice channel continues to work.
Simultaneous Voice and Data (SVD) protocols share voice and data, allowing users to employ a single line for both voice and data communications. With SVD technology, Personal Computer users with a single standard telephone line can send a file while talking to the receiving party, work on shared files while discussing the content, or perform other collaborative tasks across one line. SVD operation originates in one of two ways: users call one another and converse as usual, then drop into SVD mode when they launch a communication application; or users initiate a modem connection and the modems drop into SVD mode when the handset is picked up or the speakerphone is engaged by one of the users.
Shared voice and data is taught by many patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,120, xe2x80x9cMechanism and method for multiplexing voice and data over a signal carrier with high bandwidth efficiencyxe2x80x9d describes a method and apparatus for such SVD function. This includes a micro-controller having multiple operating modes, including an idle mode, an analog voice mode, a digital data mode, and a simultaneous voice and data (SVD) mode, which is provided to a data circuit terminating equipment (DCE) device designed to support multi-modal voice and/or data calls over a single analog-loop telephone line. The micro-controller contains control logic for establishing multiple logical connections and voice as well as data transmission protocols over these logical connections with another DCE, when switching from the analog voice mode to the SVD mode, and for multiplexing voice and data transmissions over these logical connections. The control logic transmits voice over a logical voice connection in nominally fixed intervals. A non-voice transmission, i.e. data or information to be exchanged, can be suspended in favor of transmitting a voice transmission. After the voice transmission is complete, the data transmission is continued. This allows multiplexing of reliable data and real-time data (e.g., voice) on a single modem link.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,538, xe2x80x9cTelecommunication device and method for interactive voice and dataxe2x80x9d, teaches mixed communication by both voice and data including visual text messages during a single telephone call, with both modes of communication able to be bi-directional. It also teaches an interactive voice and data (IVD) subscriber system, any two of which may communicate with each other, and optionally an IVD host system which allows IVD subscriber system unit to IVD host communication. The IVD subscriber system and host are compatible with the PSTN for voice communication. Data management facilities are provide for enabling the exchange of data with other devices. Data from a database may be selected, transmitted, received, merged, displayed and otherwise used by devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,443, xe2x80x9cDigital data over voice communicationxe2x80x9d, teaches another method of voice and data sharing on a single twisted pair line. In the apparatus taught by this patent, a coding circuit is used to encode the data signal prior to transmission. The coding circuit encodes the data signal in such a manner that the voice band is vacated and the signal energy is spread over a relatively broad frequency spectrum. Thus, the energy is not clustered in a narrow band and cross-talk is minimized. Baseband transmission is employed so that signal errors are avoided. No modulators or demodulators are required. The empty voice band can then be used for base band xe2x80x9cPlain Old Telephone Systemxe2x80x9d (POTS) communication.
Cellular Systems
First-generation cellular telephone systems, e.g. AMPS (American Mobile Phone System), an analog system, provided no data facilities. These systems accommodated data only as voice band data which was converted to analog tones by modems external to the mobile unit, e. g. in a mobile facsimile attachment. As a result of this method the data was always delivered to the point specified by the telephone number which had been dialed, specifically to an analog telephone termination on the PSTN. At the PSTN termination a modem had to be provided to convert the voice band data into digital data. Data rates were limited to what could be accommodated through the analog CODECs which were optimized for speech, usually less than 9.6 kilobits/second.
Second-generation cellular telephone systems, e.g. Digital American Mobile Phone System (DAMPS) in the US and Global System for Mobile (GSM) globally, plus others, are data-capable because they provide for multiple mobile-unit to base station channels time-division multiplexed into each radio-frequency transmission channel. It is therefore possible to have a mobile unit use one Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) channel for speech and a second TDM channel on the same RF frequency for data. External factors such as RF energy levels, battery life, and channel efficiency have tended to limit use of this capability.
GPRS, or General Packet Radio Service, is a xe2x80x9cgeneration 2.5xe2x80x9d data adjunct to the GSM system. GPRS creates an overlay data network which attaches to the cellular system at base stations to which Packet Control Units (PCUs) have been added. PCUs split the proprietary data stream away from the voice and deliver the data to the packet data network, using the GPRS Tunneling Protocol to forward the data packets to a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN). The GGSN converts GTP packets to TCP/IP packets and places them on the Internet for normal delivery. GPRS provides for simultaneous data and voice from a mobile unit, with the voice going to the dialed PSTN number and the data (the typical application is Internet access) going to a specific URL which is keyed into the mobile unit and saved. This is effective for Internet connections which essentially run in the background and are not associated with whatever telephone number the mobile unit may decide to speak with. But no simple process is presently provided for users who may wish to send video or other data to the person with whom they are speaking.
Devices
Cellular telephone devices are being manufactured to handle not only voice but data, and in particular image. The Nokia Communicator 9110 includes digital camera connectivity. This feature xe2x80x9callows the user to transfer pictures from a compatible digital camera into the communicator. The user can view the images, convert them to JPEG format and send them in faxes, as e-mail attachments or as ftp.xe2x80x9d Http://www.nokia.com/phones/9110/faq4.html. The camera to be connected must be digital and equipped with an infrared port supporting IrTran-P communications such as a Casio QV-2000UX or Sharp VE-LC2. Jphone is currently selling a telephone, manufactured by Sharp Corporation which incorporates a small camera. (See Wall Street Journal, xe2x80x9cJapanese Cell phones Will Feature Cameras, Digital Video Screensxe2x80x9d, Jan. 18, 2001.)
Video Conferencing
When video (including audio) is provided on a point to point bi-directional basis, it is known as videoconferencing. In addition to room-to-room videoconferencing, in recent years desktop conferencing has become available geared to corporate users who are extending the communication capabilities of the audio teleconference. Desktop video conferencing, using video inputs devices at workstations, is offered by a number of vendors. The Intel(copyright) ProShare Video System 500 is designed to be installed in a desktop PC in 30 minutes, and provide the ability to conduct video calls. These systems use LAN or ISDN telephone lines to provide video imaging of conference call participants to other participants.
ATandT built the first Picturephone test system in 1956. By 1964 a complete experimental system, the xe2x80x9cMod 1,xe2x80x9d had been developed. To test it, the public was invited to place calls between special exhibits at Disneyland and the New York World""s Fair. Http://www.att.com/technology/history/chronolog/70picture.html. This device required specialized receiving hardware as well as sending hardware. Picturephone features are now incorporated into the desktop video conferencing systems described above.
Traditional videoconferencing systems allow multiple remote participants to share their video (as well as audio and data) streams. Typically, the system includes multimedia terminals, multimedia communication means, bridging (or mixing) equipment, and controlling software. Standards videoconferencing protocols have been adopted in this industry.
Automated Call Centers-ACDs
Automated Call Centers and Automatic Call Distributors, or ACDs, are used when multiple operators are needed to xe2x80x9canswer the phonexe2x80x9d. In customer service bureaus, enterprise help desks, anyplace that 800 numbers resolve to an operator (including the telephone company), ACDs are used to deliver the call to an available operator. ACDs are sold by many vendors, such as Telecorp (http://www.telecorpproducts.com), Teltone, Nortel (www.nortelnetworks.com), Avaya (formerly part of Lucent) and others. ACDs used for customer relationship management (CRM) are frequently provided with software solutions that enable xe2x80x9cscreen popsxe2x80x9d. These are solutions that tie the incoming calling number to a customer data record for the owner of that calling number. Upstream Works http://www.upstreamworks.com/products/PackagedSolutions.htm offers prepackaged solutions such as: eMedia Simple Screen Pop with LogoPop to provide a screen pop with calling number information to the desktop with no host integration required. Extensions allow a customer""s account number to be displayed.
We now discuss problems with the prior art for integrated voice and data communications. The prior art falls into two categories. Either the voice and data share physical infrastructure with no logical connection what ever, or they are connected, placing a strict dependence for compatible protocols, hardware, and software from sender to receiver. There is a need to overcome this limitation of the prior art.
In first generation systems, channels are designed to handle voice traffic and therefore analog transmission techniques are used. In order to transmit data, it is modulated at the sending end and demodulated at the receiving end. This severely limits the capacity of data transmission. Multiplexing voice and data on the same channel is possible, however the multiplexed traffic is treaded as a single analog stream that is switched in the network and destined to the same destination address. The receiving point must separate the data from the voice. What is needed is a way for a sending point to send both data and voice, and the receiving points to receive separate data and voice.
Second generation systems use digital transmission facilities and provide separate voice and data channels, each designed to the characteristics of the traffic it carries. The destination addresses of the voice traffic and the data traffic are different, however, there is no relationship between the two addresses. In other words, there is no ability to determine the data destination by means of the telephone number dialed for the voice connection. For example, cell phones with Internet access terminate their connection at the ISP, hence, a URL address entered on the telephone serves as an address for the data connection. Thus, the data destination cannot be based on the dialed telephone number. What is needed is a way for the dialed number to be used to determine the data destination.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Networks) provide a single physical line that carries multiple channels for voice and data traffic. Each traffic may be destined to a separate address. However, both the data destination and the voice destination must be separately entered. Again, there is no possibility of having a direct relationship between the two destinations. What is needed is a way for the dialed number to be used to determine the data destination.
ADSL (and similarly GPRS) provide much higher digital transmission rates of separate voice and data traffic that share a common twisted pair (mobile channel) facility. Each of the voice and data channels is resilient to the failure of its counterpart. Both voice and data traffic are separately addressed and, if they are destined to the same location, the destination addresses are to be specified separately. This is true for both of the outbound and inbound channels. A data address is independently specified of the termination telephone number. What is needed is a way for the dialed number to be used to determine the data destination.
In sum, current switching systems, though they provide means for carrying voice and data traffic, do not provide mechanisms for linking the destination addresses of the voice and data traffic.
As for terminating equipment, we address conferencing devices, fax machines, and ACD facilities.
Videoconferencing terminals typically use multiple lines to connect to other (similar) terminals. In case the voice and data traffic use one line, the terminals should be able to handle the multiplexing and de-multiplexing of the traffic. Thus, traditional terminals, such as telephones, cannot operate in this mode. Terminals at the end points of a conference need to have homogeneous setup and need to support the same protocols. Devices that provide low resolution videoconferencing are known in the art. Picture phones were shown at the Worlds Fair in 1964.
Such devices require specialized sending and receiving hardware. What is needed is a way to use standard equipment, such as telephones and personal computers, in the home to receive voice and image.
Today, ACD facilities do not allow still pictures to be delivered from the originating telephone with the screen pop. In order to enhance the functionality of such ACDs, a means to accept digital image without having to replace ACD equipment is needed.
In the mobile arena, there are no means today for a mobile shared link to have the data addressed to a destination address that is associated with the called number. Again, mechanisms for linking the destination addresses of the voice and data traffic are needed. For instance, some privacy may be achieved by allowing data address to be predicated on called/calling number. What is needed is a way for the calling number, and called number to be used to determine the data destination.
Thus, prior art is all geared towards using either (1) a single connection to the terminating point for voice and data traffic, or (2) multiple connections to separately-addressed, terminating points.
We now discuss problems with the prior art for integrated voice and data communications. The prior art falls into two categories. Either the voice and data share physical infrastructure with no logical connection whatever, or they are connected, placing a strict dependence for compatible protocols, hardware, and software from sender to receiver. There is a need to overcome this limitation of the prior art.
An object of this invention is an improved system and method for receiving associated image and voice data.
An object of this invention is an improved system and method for receiving associated image and voice data at call centers.
An object of this invention is an improved system and method for receiving associated image and voice data so that images can be sent by speed dialing a telephone.
An object of this invention is an improved system and method using multiple connections for voice and data with associated destination addresses.
Our invention is a method, system and business method of enhanced (terminating) telephone numbers which: 1) separates incoming data (e.g., image, streaming video, protocol data) from incoming voice, 2) allows incoming data to be redirected by the telephone company to a data address associated with the telephone number, and 3) forwards the voice to the telephone number. This invention allows existing equipment at the called party (e.g., a plain old telephone, and a personal computer connected to the Internet over a separate line) to receive both voice and data in parallel, potentially over disparate network connections.
A preferred method of the invention facilitates data communication between a data sender and at least one data recipient. The data recipient is associated with a telephone number but cannot be accessed using that number by a sender wishing to send data. The invention receives the telephone number associated with the data destination (data recipient) and receives an indication that data is to be communicated. The invention uses the telephone number to determine by association in a database at least one characteristic of the data destination/recipient. The invention also receives via signaling from the originator or by association in a database at least one characteristic of the data to be communicated that enable the data to be communicated to the data receiver/recipient.